Huff Hall | University of Illinois Fighting Illini
Huff Hall | University of Illinois Fighting Illini
The NCAA Championships in Philadelphia saw Illinois wrestler Lucas Byrd secure a spot in the national finals at 133 pounds. Byrd, the No. 1 seed, defeated Zeth Romney of Cal Poly with a 2-0 decision. This achievement marks the first time an Illinois wrestler has reached the national title match since Isaiah Martinez did so in 2018.
Byrd's path to the finals included a quarterfinal victory over Braeden Davis of Penn State with a commanding 12-1 major decision. In the semifinals, Byrd maintained control over Romney throughout, earning his win by shutting out his opponent.
The upcoming final will be Byrd's third matchup this season against Drake Ayala of Iowa. Ayala previously won their initial encounter with a 4-2 decision, while Byrd secured victory in their second meeting during the Big Ten Championships by pinning Ayala in 3:16.
Other Illinois wrestlers concluded their seasons in consolation brackets. Notably, Danny Pucino pinned Dylan Cedeno from Virginia after trailing significantly but later lost to Sergio Lemley of Michigan. Braeden Scoles advanced through several matches before being defeated by Cameron Amine from Oklahoma State.
Illinois currently ranks eighth overall in team scores, with Penn State leading and Nebraska and Oklahoma State following closely behind.
Lucas Byrd will compete for the national title on March 22 at 6 p.m. CT.
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